Albeniz's prelude, Asturias-Leyenda, is perhaps the quintessential "Spanish guitar" piece. A favorite of Andrés Segovia, and virtually every guitarist that followed him, the piece has become so widely identified with the guitar that those who do not know otherwise would probably be astonished to discover that the work was originally written for the piano. Isaac Albeniz (1860-1909) wrote the piece during the early 1890's, most likely in London (where he had established himself as a concert pianist and theatre composer). The piece was first published in Barcelona, by Juan Bta. Pujol & Co., in 1892 as the opening Preludio of a three- movement set entitled Chants d' Espagne, Op. 232. Five years later, both Juan Bta. Pujol and the Union Musical Española in Madrid published a five-movement version of the work, again with our piece as the opening Preludio.

Albeniz's Leyenda